Where an accused has an underlying disease of the mind (such as schizophrenia) that is exacerbated by voluntary ingestion of alcohol or drugs, the temporary effects of those substances on the underlying condition may be taken into account in establishing the defence of mental illness; the defence is only unavailable if the substances alone, uninfluenced by the underlying condition, caused the accused to act. The Court of Criminal Appeal may exercise its s 7(4) power to find mental illness established even where the jury's verdict was not unreasonable, provided the evidence is sufficiently strong.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 6 later cases that cite this judgment.
3 of the 6 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.